Barge tipple



INVENTOR.

Feb. 16, 1954 J. H. BERNHARD 2,669,210

BARGE TIPPLE Filed May 22, 1951 3 Sheets--Sheetl 2 38 l INVENToR.

J. H. BERNHARD Feb. 16, 1954 BARGEZ TIPPLE 5 Sheets--Sheet 5 Filed May22, 1951 BY B INVENTOR.

Patented Feb. 16, 1954 tsr y BARGE TIPPLE John H; Bernhard; Omaha, Nebr.Application May 22, 1951. seriall No. 227,728

This invention relater.: to the unloading of barges and moreAparticularly it is an object of this invention to provide a bargetipple oi novel construction.

the `present time barge cargoes are being loaded andfunloaded bystevedore and by crateby'srate methods. These rexpensive methods havebeen thought necessary.

'5' It isan object of this invention to provide barges equipped withcargo cars which can be rollerzlefrom the barge to a dock. This has beenhitherto thought impractical because of the varying positions ofbargesrelative to docks, the posi.- tions varying because of variationsin the water level ofV rivers and becausethe freeboard ofV a bargevarieswith diierent amounts of cargo and changes" during the process ofcargo transfer. ljjgtis a particular object to provide a dock havingunyielding securing meansfsuch as an outwardly projecting ledge disposedabove water level :sin Ycombination with a barge designed to have a sidethereof received under the ledge to prevent the raising of the inwardside of the barge and ijn further con'ibination with means for raisingthe level of the barge relative to the dock whereby the inner side ofthe barge will be caught beneath ,the ledge and held at a constant levelwith respect tothe ledge forfacilitating unloading of the barge byanymethod. n

:A further object of the inventionvis to provide cargo ,cars inthecombination just described, `the ,carsi being .rolledfrom thebarge on'their Yown wheels.. .A still further` object is to provide. a method Lofunloading theV cargo cars which comprises the .raising'of the outersideof the barge to a higher 'level than. the ledge-held inner side of thebarge whereby the cargo cars can be rolle'dby gravity 'ont'o a docksurface-'disposed above the ledge.

. A still further object isto provide a barge with means,lsuch as aballast tank system, for raising .and lowering thebarge with respect tothe water level to'. cause .said barge to be held. by said ledge andmore particularly to raise the level .ofthe outer'side ofthe barge withrespect to the inner side thereof for causing the barge to tilt foremploying gravity to roll the cars onto the deck. Still another objectis to rprovide a locked basin having a` water .level controlsystem inwhich a barge isconned during loadingv or unloading vwherelcay lthecontrolled rising of the water level in the basin causes the barge to becaught by the ledge and subsequentlyto tilt. y j s Y another objectis toprovide amulti-deck barge and 4a dock designed ffor, the unloadingfof Lthe .various deck levels 4'tl'iereofr 8 Claims.` (Cl. 114-()5) Stillfurther objects of the invention are to provide a method oi Aand meansfor: eliminating or greatly reducing the labor cost of stevedoring;reducingthe shore or idle time of thebarge; reducing or eliminatingcrating, tallying, checking, pilfering, dispatching, mixing andconfusion of cargo; greatly reducing ultimate cost of` insurance;providing greater freedom in selection of.

terminal sites; and finally lfor speedier dispatch of cargo. y

. Yet another object o f the invention is to provide a device for thepurpose described which is sturdy `and durable in construction,reliablevand efficient in operation, and relatively simple andinexpensive to manufacture, assemble and utilize. Other and further.objects vand advantages of the present invention will be app-arent fromthe following detailed description and claims and are illustrated in.the4 accompanying drawings which showrtheprinciples of the inventionand a mode in which I have contemplated applying. those principles.

Other embodiments of the invention utilizing the same or equivalentprinciples may be used andstructural changes may be made as desiredbythose skilled in theart Without departing. from the present inventionand the purview of the apf. pended claims... v

In the drawings: j .Figure lis a cross section view of a barge,diagrammatically shown floating .ina .basin of controllablewater level.A cross sectional view of'a portion of a dock having an outwardlyprotruding ledge is shown, the ledge overlapping the inner side .of thebarge. A `cargo-discliarging position ofthe bargeis shown in dottedlines A cargo .car is shown in full lines in an irri-transit positionand in dotted lines in a position preparav.toryto thedischarge of thecargo car by rolling downwardly onto the dock.

VFigure 2-is a top plan View of a lock basin system of the invention, abarge being shown .in A*full lines opposite a ledge, subsequent posi'-tions of the barge being shown .opposite other ledges for theinterlocking of other decks of the barge .when a multi-deck barge isused.

Figure 3 isa top plan view of a multi-deck barge, a portion'oi the upperdeck being broken away, a portion of the ledge of a dock beingshownoverlapping a side of the barge.

Figure 4 is a detailed side elevation of "a lockingm'echanism forholding* one of the cargo trailers in place whilethe barge isin'transit.`

Figure 5 is aside elevation of lthe barge of Figure 3,-iorward andrearward side wallportions` thereof being broken away for showing thewater inlet and, pumping system used to control the level of the barge.

Figure 6 is a Viewin-section taken along the line 6--16 of Figure 2 andshowing a multi-deck barge in a position preparatory to the unloading ofthe cargo cars on its lower deck, the barge in Figure 6 being shownunder the dock ledge.

Figure 7 is va view-.in-section taken along the line 1 4! yof Figure 2yand showing a barge ina position preparatory to the discharge of cargocars on the upper deck level thereof, the barge of Figure 7 being shownunderlapping the dock ledge.

Figure 8 is a view-in-section taken :along :the line 8-8 of Figure 2showing ,a barge .inaposition preparatory to the discharge of cargo carson an intermediate deck level thereof.

The basic idea of the tipple of this invention is .best .illustrated .inFigure .1. In Figure ,l abarge .I isshown vfloating .on the ,surface .ofwater I2. The water l2 .is preferably .in a .locked kbasin as willbelaterdescribed .The .barge .Iltis shown .incross section in ,'.Fig- .urel. .It will be understood .that .thebargeconstruction shown .in Figure.l .is .diagrammatic .and .for the purpose .of .illustrating the.principles of .the invention only. Actually, bargeshave :much 'bracingand other structural features which, for

Clarity of illustration, .are .not .shown here.

'For the ,purpose of thisshowing, .thebarge l0 ,has a flat Ybottom14a-nd vertical .sides 1B. The .sides .I6 are, joined to ,the bottom .I4bymeans .of

beveled portions i8 normally disposed .below the .water line.

The "barge `I il Ihas a .horizontal .deck 12.0 ,spaced above its 'bottomI4, .optionally supported by a vertical wall '22 extending Afroinone endof the barge to the other. The .barge isjfurther provided lwith a falsedeck 750 `disposed above .the .deck 20 and-upheld `at 'the sides'by wallmembers '3.2. 'Ihe members 32 are disposed inwardly .of the outer sideI6l ofthe barge for apurpose later described.

Above Athe false deck 33 ra grooved covering '36 is provided having,aplurality of Aparallel transversegrooves 38 in vthe .upper surfacethereof disposed `in positions-for receiving the wheels 140 of cargocars, one of which is generally indicated at 42 in Figure l. The grooves38 open on atleast lone side of the barge yfor permitting the Ycargofcars42 torolloiT the barge.

It will 'be understood that the cargo cars :42 can be of any desiredconstruction and that 'the car shown in'l'igure Al 'isshown'diagrammatically land linfsimple form for :illustrative purposesonly. f'Such `cars could lhave couplings thereon for 'attachment fto thecabs of semi-trailer trucks, if desired.

4lniurther accordance withthisinvention the locked basin isprovidedw'ith a dock generally 'infdicated yat "having an outwardlyprotruding ledge 52 -`.with a preferably 'fiat rundersurface `-l54. Theupperxsurace -56 .of fthe ledge, which will be vreferred -to fas thedock surface, is preferably flevel.

In operation the barge :lill s;p1aced `under-:the .ledge 52 at .a timewhen zwater level is approxi- .mately as;shown-in .Figure `l.Thewaterlevelin .the .basin is then raised, 'causing rthe barge to moveupwardly, impinging the vinward sidaof-the bargeagainst ithe rundersideof the ledgef5'2.

.As thus described, ythe .inner side-of .thebarge is held .from .moving`upwardly while the rising =leve1ofvthe Awater .I.f2 in Ithe ybasin willcause the outerside of the barge tomove upwardly :into vthe dotted lineposition shown in Figure l. During this movement the ledge iii. willserve as a fulcrum about which the barge pivots.

When the barge has reached the dotted line position shown at i5 thelevel of water in the basin is caused to rise no further. The cargo carsl2 will then be permitted to roll downwardly, guided by the grooves c3off the barge and into the dock surface 5t, which latter is disposed in`alignment vwith the bottoms o1 the grooves 33. It will be understoodthat this accomplishes the 4objects in the aforementioned objects.

Details of various ways of employing the principles described in Figurel are shown in the sub- :seeuent Figures 2 to 8.

Referring now to Figure 2 a river is diagrammatically shown at 5t. asthe water level in the river 15,0 is unpredictable and is constantlyrising and falling, a lock basin generally indicated at .l0 isprovidedentering from the river .50 ffor receiving .barges duringloading and unloading of `their cargoes.

The lock basin 'H3 can be provided with .any suitable locking means. One locking means is diagrammatically shown in Figure 2 .includes a .pairVof `swinging .doors .l2 which are `adapted to be closed against eachLotheror vopened wide, automatically,and.by means of a lock-.controllingmechanism disposed in `two-housings l5.

In .the housing .l5 .motors and other .means lare ,provided .for causingscrew threaded v.elongated lockcontrolling members 13 `to move inwardand outward. The .outer ends kof .the lock gate .controlling .members l0are .pivotally -secured to the respective lock gates .12.

Adjacent the lock basin l0 .and preferably .upstream therefrom y.is aywater reservoir .8b connected with .the .lock .basin l@ by one .or morel,pipes 82 .as shown .in dotted lines in .Figure .2. ',The pipes 82 are.provided with `valves 04 which .control the .Flow .of water from the.reservoir .80 ldownwardly Lto the basin l0.

In the basin .lil a plurality of ledges .similar to .the ledge 52 inFigure l .are provided for Yreceiving a multi-decir. barge 9.0 l.as`will .be ylater described.

"Referring to .Figure 5 a 4n'lulti-.dec'k barge .90 is there shown. Thebarge 9.0 is .similar to .the barge in Figure .1. Its lower structure issimilar. .For .that reason the same numerals .used to describe the bargeI'0 will be applied .to similar parts in 'the other barge 90. lowever,the barge .90 ,has a plurality of vertical columns 92 which extend`upwardly from the deck covering Bt to an intermediate horizontal deck98 and .upwardly from the intermediate deck 98 to an upper deck `I.00.`It will be understood that all deck .coverings 36, 98, and |00 are.provided with grooves 38 similar to the deck covering 35.

'The barge shown in Figure 5 can be optionally provided with means ofits own for raising and lowering its level with respect to the level ofthe water .I2 in the basin and for raising and `lowering 'the level of.one side .of the barge with `respect to the other side thereof.

:Such .means can include valves IIQ disposed on each .side of thecompartmentation walls 22 and. vopening into the barge below the waterline thereof. The valves H0 .are controlled by hand wheels II2accessible from the upper side rof the barge. It will be understood thatthe valves .l I0 and Wheels I I2 are merelydiagrammaticalrepresentations of .a valve .system and .that .any .othersystem .serving this purpose could be employed.

At the opposite end v.of lthe .barge .00, .and as aeeazro |24'isdisposed in communication with the botv tommost'; portion'gofut'he.interiorffofgthe barge .on one sidesffof. fthe'conripaitmentation,lrivali;l 22;l by means of a vertically disposed pipe|34.

The pipe |34 is secured to the pipe |30 bymeans of a control valvehaving a hand wheel |40. Between the said controlvalvef'andthe pump |24another pipe |46 .is disposed inf'communication with the pipe |38'. Thepipe |46 also has a vertica section |f40 leading to the bottom oftliebarge': Between the sections |46 and |48 isa control valve|.49. InFigure 6 the multideckbarge 'of Figure 5' is shown up against a dockvhaving a 'ledge'.xlt, similar in all respects to the ledge 52 shown inFigure .'11. .The uppergsuriace |55v 'of.l the.,ledge L50seryes'astheuppensurfaceof a .docl;";.|52.;.A i..ln.lFigure.-6 `thelowergdeck- 36 of;thel;barge isshown. in aposition for the unloadingv ofcargo cars therefrom. @In Figure] a ledge` |58 .isshown spaced' a con.sideral'alel distance below. .theupper .surface 4| 8.6ofwthedocliwherebygthe ledge |58I functions in the. previously describedmanner. although the upper surface' |60 .of kthe ,dock..is.disposed op.-posite the4 upper deck. |00. of 'the barge. .i In Figure, 8 a ledge|64.isshown spaced downvs/ardlyjr'orrithe upper, surfacel'iii of thedock a lesser, distance 'than shown `inliigureV 7. where'- bytheuppensurface '|10 is ,disposedon the same level with theintermediategdeck 98 of the. barge. y; ,Itvv will.; beunderstood Ythatiiall the previous description itisv `the;bo.ttom portion of the groove 38of the ,variouspdecksof the' barge which are preierably-.exactly onthesame, level as theupper suracefo'ffthe respective dock at times whenthe barge is in unloadingP position. rnfo'peratin theilowei" deckaffiliv 'isargecan be unloadedwalongside the ldock |52 shown at theleftin Figure 2. The barge is then moved to ,thel dotted linepositionshown in the ,center in' 1iigure12 for the interlocking oi theintermediate deck sthereoflunderthedogsurfaee ling'rne Ciied In Figuresipvrneans vis shown c a inposition onthebarge during trav' iItwillbeunderstood that'any lockingmea'ris can be used and.. thatlitheoneshown is shown as an example "fo'r`puipo' I InFigue 4 apivotinglo'clr-larni v|60 is fs'hown and'iisadapted to pivoton I a "pin|82 secured to;the"'deck""|06 of thebarge by means of two parallelspaced apart ears |84, a portion of one of the ears being shown brokenaway in Figure 4. r

The arm |88 is provided with a substantiall transverse end portion |86which is shaped for engaging an axle |96 of one of the cargo cars 42.The arm |80 is pulled downwardly by a coiled spring |92 which isattached to the deck |66. The arm |88 is preferably so shaped that itcan be manually released from the axle |90 to release the cargo carduring unloading of the barge.

As illustrated in Figures 1 and 3, means must be provided for preventingthe barge from movu ing outwardly away from the dock at times when 'ciillustration only.,

6 it is'lnclined One example of such'means is the pair of capstans 200and 202 which are disposed respectively on the dock ledge 52 and on thedeck 36. A rope 204 is disposed about the capstans 200 and 204 forsecuring the barge to the. dock. .aAssseenlinn-Figure 3 two pairshofsimilar capstans 203 `and:2||}.-lashed by ropes .2 'l2 are shown in thetop plan view.

The unloading of the barge will be clear from lthe above description.The loading of the barge can be accomplished by securing the barge inthe same position as shown in Figure 1 and rolling`other..cargofcars..42into the position of the cargo .-.ca`-rs-just removed. -;,.It1will bez:understood that this invention has provideda method of and means formuch more economically loading and unloading barges. ,'.vzFromtheforegoing description, it is thought to be obvious that a barge tippleconstructed in accordancewith my. invention is particularly well adaptedfor use, by reason of the convenienceiand facility with... which -it'rnay.1be assembled and operated, rand; it. Ywill 4also'. be obviousthat... my inventionisi susceptible ofsome change 'andmodicationtwithout departing from the prin ciplesfandspirit.thereof,..and.-for .this reason I do notwish to .be understood aslimiting myself to .the precise. arrangement` and formationvoftheseveral parts herein rshwn'in .carrying out myinvention inpractical except as claimed.

l. A barge tipple .system comprising.: la lock'f ableY conning basinopeningy upon a navigable waterway.; means for controlling' the waterlevel in said basin;1doc`k..means in-s'aid basin, l'said dock meanshavinganfupper surface,`said'do'ck means having an outwardly protrudingledge having. an outwardly. extending lower sidegsa'id ledge.overhangingl and protruding outwardly over `those portions of said dockmeans beneath said.1e'dge;..a bargehaving deck means'forholding. cargo,said-barge having .an outwardly protruding `side portionspaceddownwardly from said .decisori one?. side ot said barge for-receptionbeneath `saidledge-.andfor-engaging the underside of. saidledgewhereby when thefother sideptsaid. barge is caused to raiseupwardly with respect tosaidledge as the-water levelin said basin .israised said vprotruding side portion of said barge will be raised upvertically until l from .said one. side thereofy downwardly towardtheafotheriside 1Vthereoithe Aconstruction `being such that the docksideof said deck is disposed nnapproximately the same level with. theupperr surface. .of said dock .at times when the protrud-I-igsidejiportion ...of saidbarge is disposed be neath said ledge andsaid barge is in an inclined position; means for holding said bargeadjacent said dock; and wheeled cargo cars transversely disposed on saiddeck.

2. A barge tipple system comprising: a lockable confining basin openingupon a navigable waterway; means for controlling the water level in saidbasin; dock means in said basin, said dock means having an uppersurface, said dock means having an outwardly protruding ledge having anoutwardly extending lower side, said ledge overhanging and protrudingoutwardly over those portions of said dock means beneath said ledge; abarge having deck means for holding cargo,

said barge having an outwardly protruding side portion spaced downwardlyfrom said deck on one side of said barge for reception beneath saidledge and for' engaging the `underside of said ledge whereby when theother side of said barge is caused to rise upwardly with respect to saidledge as the water level in said basin is raised said protruding sideportion of said barge will be raised up vertically until it engages theunderside of said ledge and then will be held from rising by said ledgefor the pivoting of said barge into a position such that the deck ofsaid barge will be caused to incline from said one side thereofdownwardly toward the other side thereof, the construction being suchthat the dock side of said deck is disposed on approximately the samelevel with the upper surface of said dock at times when the protrudingside portion of said barge is disposed beneath said ledge and said bargeis in an inclined position; and means for holding said barge adjacentsaid dock.

3. A method of unloading a barge comprising:

bringing the barge into a lockable confining basin having controllablewater level; locking said basin; bringing 'the barge up against a dockat a side of said basin; holding the inner side of said barge in aposition such that the deck of the barge is disposed adjacent the uppersurface of the dock while raising the water level in the basin to causethe outer side of the barge deck to be disposed at a highel` level thanthe inner side thereof while holding said barge inwardly adjacent saiddock; and permitting cargo containers on said barge to move by gravityacross the inclined deck and onto said dock.

4. A method of unloading a barge comprising: bringing the bargealongside a dock in a locked confining basin; controlling the amount ofba1- last water in the barge so that the inner side of the barge cargodeck is disposed adjacent the upper surface of the dock; holding theinner side of the barge in approximately the above described positionwhile removing the ballast water to cause the outer side of the barge torise with respect to the inner side thereof for causing the deck of thebarge to incline from the outer side thereof downwardly toward the innerside thereof; and then permitting cargo on said deck to move by gravitydownwardly onto the dock.

5. A method of unloading a barge comprising: bringing the bargealongside a dock; controlling the amount of ballast water in the bargeso that the inner side of the barge cargo deck is disposed adjacent theupper surface of the dock; holding the inner side of the barge inapproximately the above described position while removing the ballastwater to cause the outer side of the barge to rise with respect to theinner side thereof for causing the deck of the barge 8 to incline fromthe youter side thereof downwardly to-ward the inner side thereof; andthenpermitting lcargo on said deck to move by gravity downwardly ontothe dock.

6. A method of unloading a barge comprising: bringing the barge into alockable confining basin; locking said basin; bringing the barge up to adock at a side of said basin adjusting the height of the barge to aposition such that the cargo deck of the barge is disposed adjacent theupper surface of the dock; securing the barge to the dock so that thebarge cannot move outwardly away from the dock unduly; causing the outerside of the barge to rise while preventing the inner side of the bargefrom rising so as'to cause the deck of the barge to incline from'theouter side thereof downwardly to the inner side thereof; and thenpermitting cargo containers on said barge to move by gravity across theinclined deck and into said dock.

7. A method of unloading a barge comprising: bringing the barge up to adock and securing it to the dock; causing the deck of the barge toassume a position such that the inner side of the deck is disposedadjacent the upper surface of the dock and such that the outer side ofthe-deck is'disposed at a higher level than the inner side thereof; andthen permitting cargo containers on said deck to move by gravity acrossthe inclined deck and onto the said dock.

8. A method of transferring cargo between a barge and a dock comprising:controlling the level of the body of water in which the barge rides atthe dock; securing the barge to the dock-to hold the barge adjacent thedock; and

adjusting the position of the deck of the barge with respect to theupper surface of the dock as each item of cargo is transferred therebyto maintain the level of the inner side of the deck at a desiredposition with respect to saiddock. JOHN H. BERNHARD.

References Cited in the file 0f this patent UNITED STATES PATENTSGermany Mar. 26, V1932

